24.—F224[(1) Subject to this Act, where a person ceases to be an employed contributor or a self-employed contributor—

(a) otherwise than by reason of attaining pensionable age, or

(b) otherwise than, in the case of a person born on or after 1 January 1958, by reason of having been awarded the State pension (contributory) or attaining the age of 70 years,

and the person has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 520 contribution weeks, he or she shall, on making application in the prescribed manner and within the prescribed period, be entitled to become an insured person paying contributions under this Act voluntarily (in this Act referred to as ‘a voluntary contributor’).]

F225[(1A) In the case of a person who becomes a voluntary contributor paying contributions under this Chapter before 6 April 2013, subsection (1) shall be read as if ‘260 contribution weeks’ were substituted for ‘520 contribution weeks’.

(1B) In the case of a person who becomes a voluntary contributor paying contributions under this Chapter on or after 6 April 2013 but before 6 April 2014, subsection (1) shall be read as if ‘364 contribution weeks’ were substituted for ‘520 contribution weeks’.

(1C) In the case of a person who becomes a voluntary contributor paying contributions under this Chapter on or after 6 April 2014 but before 6 April 2015, subsection (1) shall be read as if ‘468 contribution weeks’ were substituted for ‘520 contribution weeks’.]

[1993 s21(2)]

(2) The occupational injuries insurance of a person shall be disregarded in determining the person’s right to become, or to continue to be, a voluntary contributor and the rate of voluntary contribution payable in any case shall not be affected by that insurance.

[1993 s21(3)]

(3) A voluntary contributor shall—

(a) where he or she becomes an employed contributor, cease to be a voluntary contributor except insofar as is provided in section 25(2), or

(b) where he or she becomes a self-employed contributor, cease to be a voluntary contributor.